Improvement in corset-clasps



E. J. LOVE. Corset-Clasp.

No. 208,618. Patented Oct. 1, I878.

0 504 vi a 94. .3. k

N- PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOQRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

EDWARD J. LOVE, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF ANDTHOMAS W. LOVE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN CORSET-CLASPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,618, dated October1, 1878; application filed September 6, 1878.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. LOVE, of Rutherford, in the county ofBergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements inClasps for Corsets, and other similar supports for the body, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to corsets and other similar supports for thebody, in which one or more spoon or widening pieces of steel or otherelastic material are combined with one or more longitudinal strips orclasp-pieces. Heretofore said spoon or widening pieces and longitudinalstrips or clasp-pieces, both of which form stiffening or supportingdevices, have usually been made of one piece, whichzit is not onlyinconvenient to manufacture, but which involves great waste of stock,and isotherwise expensive.

My invention consists in making the longitudinal strip or strips andtheir respective widening piece or pieces independently of each other,and suitably connecting them or applying them to the corset or articlethey are designed to he used with or in; also, in an adjustableconnection of the widening stiffening piece or pieces with thelongitudinal stiffening strip or strips, whereby said widening piece orpieces may be raised or lowered to suit various figures andrequirements.

The invention likewise consists in a special construction andcombination of parts, whereby the mountings, which form the fasteningsfor the longitudinal strips or clasp-pieces of a corset, also serve tounite the widening-pieces with said strips or clasp-pieces.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a face view of a corsetstifl'ener or supporter, composed of longitudinal clasp-pieces or stripsA A, which may be of steel, whalebone, or other suitable stiffening andelastic material, and independent spoon or widening pieces B B,preferably of steel, but which may also be of other suitable stiffeningand elastic material. In this figure the clasp-pieces A A, having themountings b b and c c, which form the fastenings, secured to them, arepermanently united with the spoon or widening pieces BB by rivets d d,or otherwise, and said clasp-pieces are represented as extended the fulllength of the widening-pieces B B.

Fig. 2 represents a similar construction to Fig. l,with the exceptionthat the clasp-pieces A A are foreshortened, or the widening-pieces B Bas arranged to extend beyond the clasppieces. In either of these cases,as in other modifications which will be hereinafter described, theclasp-pieces, with their permanently-attached widening-pieces, aresubsequently covered or inserted within pockets in the body of thecorset. When the construction is as represented in Fig. 2, then one ormore of the fastening-mountings b 0 may be attached directly to thewidening-pieces B B.

Fig. 3 represents a face view, and Fig. 4 a transverse section on theline :20 w, of a modification of my improved corset stiffener orsupporter, in which the widening-pieces B B are secured to theclasp-pieces A A (that may be previously covered) by one or more sets ofclamps, e, specially provided for the purpose, or by one or more of thesame mountings, I) c, which are used to fasten the corset, as shown insection, Fig. 4.

The widening-pieces B B may be either at the top, bottom, or anywherebetween the top and bottom, of the longitudinal strips or clasppieces AA.

Fig. 5 represents a face view of a modification, in which, instead ofthe widening-pieces B B being at the bottom of the clasp-pieces A A,they are shown as arranged between the top and. bottom of the clasppieces; and Fig. 6 represents a similar view of another modification, inwhich the widening-pieces B B are arranged at the top of theclasp-pieces A A. In both of these figures, as in the previous figures,and in certain others which will be hereinafter described, the mountingsb b and c 0, which form the fastenings, may be of the usual or any othersuitable description, and the widening-pieces B B may either be attachedby rivets d to the clasp-pieces A A, as shown in Fig. 6, or be securedby one or more clamps, e, thereto, as shown in Fig. 5; or they may beotherwise attached, and be either permanently or adjustably secured tothe clasp-pieces.

Fig. 5 of the drawing represents the clamps c, which are carried by thewidening-pieces B B, as capable of sliding up and down the clasp-piecesA A, to admit of a varied adjustment of the widening-pieces B B up ordown the clasp-pieces A A.

Fig. 7 represents a face view, and Fig. 8 a transverse section on theline .1" x, of a modification, which only diliers from that shown inFig. 5 in arranging the widening'pieces B B at the lower end or portionof the clasp-pieces, and in employing duplicate sets of clamps ee,constructed and attached to admit of the adjustment of thewideningpieces up or down, as required.

Fig. 9 represents a face view, and Fig. 10 a transverse section on theline ac an", of a modification in part or half, in which the clamps thatunite either widening-piece B to its clasppiece A are not independentdevices, but are formed by punching or cutting either widening-piece andsuitably bending the punched or cut portion to produce turned-over lipsff, which clamp or clip the clasp-piece A with freedom, if desired, forthe adjustment of the widening-piece B up or down the clasp-piece.

The invention is equally applicable to busks, as well as to theclasp-pieces of corsets; and Fig. 11 represents a face view, and Fig. 12a transverse section on the line a .r, of a husk or single longitudinalstrip, A, having an independent widening-piece, B, secured to it byclamps e, with or without freedom of adjustment of the widening-piece upor down the strip or piece A.

As hereinbefore observed, the separate widening piece or pieces may bevariously combined with the longitudinal or clasp piece or pieces.

Figs. 13, 14, 15, i6, and 17 representa modification, in which the spoonor widening piece B is laid and sewed into a special pocket, 0, ofsuitable fibrous or other material, and the clasp-piece A pertaining tosaid wideningpiece is similarly laid and sewed into another pocket, D,formed in the fabric which constitutes the body of the corset, afterwhich the two pockets are stitched together by one or more rows ofstitching, g. This unites the widening-piece and clasp-piece in fixedpositions, without any other means of attachment than the pockets, whichalso serve as coverings to said pieces A and B. Fig. 13 shows a faceview of a spoon or widening piece as inserted within its pocket C; Fig.14, a transverse section on the line .r .r; Fig. 15, a face view,showing both the widening-piece B and the clasp-piece A as inserted intheir respective pockets, and showing the latter as sewed together. Fig.16 is a transverse section on the line .70, and Fig. 17 a transversesection on the line a a.

Fig. 18 represents a face view, and Fig. 19 a transverse section on theline a" a, of a modification, in which either widening-piece B is unitedwith its clasp-piece A by arranging said pieces while uncovered inseparate pockets, 0 and D, and afterward attaching, by rivets d, saidpieces A and B when covered by the pockets.

Fig. 20 represents a face view, and Fig. 21 a transverse section on theline as w of a modification, in which the separate spoon or wideningpiece B and its clasp-piece A are both inserted uncovered into the samepocket 0 0, formed by or stitched onto the body of the corset, andserving to unite the wideningpiece and clasp-piece together, with orwithout the aid of rivets or independent fastenlngs, and with thespoon-piece arranged either on the interior or exterior of the corset.

The invention may be applied to the front, back, or wherever additionalsupport or brace is required to the body, and the longitudinal strip orstrips or clasp or clasp-pieces and the spoon or widening piece orpieces, both of which may be of various materials, may be of variousshapes, and convex or concave forms or curvatures, according to theportion of the body which they are required to support.

I claim- 1; In corsets or other similar supports for the body, thestifl'ening-pieces constructed of one ormore longitudinalstripsorclasp-pieces, A, and one or more spoon or Widening pieces, B,made separate from the longitudinal strips or clasp-pieces A, and unitedwith the latter, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of one or more adj ustable spoon or widening pieces,B, with one or more longitudinal strips or clasp-pieces, A, essentiallyas described.

3. The combination, with the clasp-pieces A and the spoon or wideningpieces B, made separate from the clasp-pieces, of one or more mountingsor fastenings for the clasp-pieces, constructed to also form clamps foruniting the clasp-pieces and widening-pieces together, substantially asspecified.

EDWARD J. LOVE.

Witnesses:

T. J. KEANE, FRED. HAYNES.

